Jeff Rusinow
Jeff Rusinow is a seasoned angel investor and entrepreneur based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Over more than two decades, he has invested in approximately 60 startups, achieving eight exits—three of which involved acquisitions by Fortune 500 companies. Notably, he was the lead investor in BUYSEASONS (BuyCostumes.com) sold to Liberty Media, ModernMed acquired by DaVita in 2012, and Propeller Health, […]
Austin Groesser
Austin Groesser is the Co-Founder and CEO of Big Dipper Dough Co., a food startup he launched at age 19 in Traverse City, Michigan. After perfecting an egg-free edible cookie dough recipe, he grew the business from local grocery sales to distribution in over 3,000 stores across 30 states, generating approximately $2.1 million in annual revenue […]
Todd Goldstein
Todd Goldstein is a serial entrepreneur, investor, and mentor based in Cleveland, Ohio. He co-founded LaunchHouse in 2008—a pioneering seed accelerator and coworking community—and has deployed over $500K in capital, supporting more than 65 companies that collectively raised over $30M in follow-on funding. In 2019, he founded Whoa Dough, a gluten-free, plant-based cookie-dough snack brand, now […]
Steven Alan
Steven Alan Grossman is a pioneering fashion designer and retailer based in New York City, renowned for merging curated global labels with his own namesake collections. Since launching his first store in 1994, he expanded into apparel, accessories, and home furnishings, influencing American casual style. In 2011, he sold a minority stake to Bedrock Manufacturing […]
Laura Lauder
Laura Lauder is a prominent venture philanthropist and nonprofit leader renowned for building leadership and giving frameworks for youth across North America, Australia, and Israel. Through the Laura & Gary Lauder Family Venture Philanthropy Fund (established 1995), she focuses on grants and mission-driven initiatives like Foundation Board Incubator/Honeycomb (launched 2012–2013), DeLeT (2000), and the Center […]
Madeline Darcy
Madeline Darcy is a venture capital leader and founding partner at Kaya Ventures, based in Boston. She champions wellness-focused consumer and digital health startups, having invested in over 30 companies including Proov, Swehl, and Elektra Health. Madeline is also a driving force behind diversity in VC, actively supporting women and underrepresented founders through initiatives like […]
José Andrés
José Andrés is an award-winning chef, restaurateur, and humanitarian, known for revolutionizing Spanish cuisine in the U.S. and for founding Think Food Group, which operates renowned restaurants across the country. He is also the founder of World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit providing meals in disaster zones. Based in Washington, D.C., Andrés is widely recognized for […]
Jay Long
Jay Long is a healthcare entrepreneur and executive with extensive experience in behavioral health and care coordination. As Founder and EVP of Business Development at Pathways, one of the largest providers of behavioral and mental health services in the U.S., Jay has played a critical role in the company’s national expansion and service delivery innovation. […]